Let’s face it; we are all drawn towards a flat and well-toned belly and we all want those hard to achieve, well defined abs. The muscles of your midsection, namely the abdominal muscle group, are not isolated. They interweave through your torso like a tangled web of tensile steel, and it is critical to train them the right way for body stability. You can do exercises for the obliques, and upper and lower abdominal exercises, for example. So how do you get the results you want as quickly as possible? Let’s take a look.
The American Council on Exercise conducted a study that determined that the classic sit-up is not effective if you want to achieve strong, defined abs. This conclusion was intriguing, to say the least. In fact, out of all ab exercises, the traditional sit-up was among the least effective abdominal muscle exercises. That is right; least effective. Alright, so the sit-up is not only ineffective, but it has the potential to be harmful. So if this is one of the worst abdominal exercises, then what is better and safer?
First, there is the traditional crunch. To do a crunch, you will need to lie on the floor with your knees slightly bent and your feet flat on the floor. Tighten your abs by drawing your bellybutton back towards your spine and cross your arms over your chest. Next, raise your shoulders off the floor while keeping your back straight. Don’t forget to breathe and remember to exhale through your mouth while performing crunches. With your shoulders raised, pause for a moment and exhale. Now slowly lower your shoulders back to the floor without allowing your head to touch the floor.
No great abdominal workout would be complete without leg lifts. To do a leg lift, lie on the floor with hands at your sides and your legs flat. Lift your legs straight up so that they are pointing at the ceiling; then lower them down again without letting them touch the ground. Continue lifting and lowering your legs for as long as you are comfortable. As an alternative to this exercise, you can also hold yourself up on a bar and do leg lifts by raising your knees to your chest.
You perform a v-up when you lie flat on a mat with your hands extended back over your head, touching the floor. Now raise your torso and legs simultaneously, while keeping your legs straight. Extend your hands towards your feet and if possible, touch them. Hold this position for a few seconds and then return to the flat position.
Remember that it is not the number of repetitions that you do, but the technique and quality that will get you the results you are looking for. By overdoing sit-ups, you run the risk of hurting your lower back. The best and most ideal way exercise the abdominal muscle group is to be patient with your workout, eat a healthy and nutritious diet and add regular aerobic exercises to your fitness regimen as well.
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